School Links

Overview

M.A. Degree Program in Ethics and Society at Fordham University Teaches Ethics Education in NYC

Fordham's M.A. in Ethics and Society degree program is one of very few truly interdisciplinary ethics education master's programs in the United States. This unique graduate program stems from Fordham's distinguished Center for Ethics Education (CEE). Since the center was first established, students have expressed interest in the creation of a master's level interdisciplinary degree program. The M.A. in Ethics and Society degree program premiered in 2009 and has become one of the most in-demand programs for ethics.

The Master of Arts in Ethics and Society degree program gives students a cross-disciplinary foundation in the application of moral and ethical theory to social issues. The program's purpose is to enhance the broad intellectual background and ethical decision-making abilities of students to be prepared for the complex global environment of 21st-century society.

Fordham's graduate-level course in ethics is an innovative and timely master's degree program for contemporary life. It prepares graduates for successful roles as citizens, practitioners, and policy leaders who can contribute to ethical discussions and rightly-reasoned solutions to social problems. It also prepares them for career development and advancement in a number of fields, including non-profit and professional sectors focused on serving the public good.

Growing Need for Teachers, Professionals, and Business Leaders Trained in Business Ethics and Ethics Education

The growing need for the M.A. in Ethics and Society degree comes from the disturbing events and news headlines of the 21st century. As once-reputable institutions topple, one after another, people no longer know what to believe in, or whom to trust.

Never before have people so needed to be reminded of the high standards of their own moral and ethical centers and to be taught how to conduct themselves responsibly and ethically in the increasingly global world. With many questions about ethics in New York and around the world, employers are seeking leaders who can think creatively and across disciplines.

The Master's Program in Ethics and Society Is Indispensable

The M.A. in Ethics and Society degree program can be applied to almost any discipline where questionable issues arise and responsible solutions are needed -- such as health care, business, medicine, law, education, government, non-profit agencies, and policymaking.

Every year, the public faces new issues in social responsibility that can affect the very survival of society's most venerable institutions: banks and financial institutions, religion and politics, and the robust field of medical research where the human applications of technological breakthroughs have far-reaching ethical ramifications. Graduates with M.A. in Ethics and Society degrees are ready to be the steady hands at the helm amidst the growing complexities of modern life.

Fordham University is a Pioneer in Interdisciplinary Studies

Fordham University's pioneering M.A. in Ethics and Society degree program is one of the first programs of its kind established at an American liberal arts university. A national leader in fostering personalized, cross-disciplinary studies since 1998, Fordham recognizes that 21st-century global society requires a new kind of thinker-doer -- a creative individual who can think outside the confines of a single discipline and bring together the knowledge and methods of multiple disciplines to uncover innovative ethical solutions for a wide range of problems.

The 30-credit curriculum of the master's program can be completed in 12 months and features, as its signature element, 2 core courses that are team taught by faculty members from different departments to provide students with cross-disciplinary perspectives. Professors from applied disciplines, such as science, law, and economics, join professors from the humanities to lead a broad exploration of contemporary ethical issues of common interest.

The ethics and society core curriculum brings together esteemed faculty members from several Fordham departments including: theology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, political science, social work, law, business, and economics. Examples of foundational courses are "Normative Ethical Theories," "Fundamental Moral Theology," and "Health Disparities and Social Inequalities." Students can also take electives in these subjects, as well as approved courses in law, social work, and business.

First-year graduate students meet monthly with the director of the business ethics and society master's program to discuss all aspects of their studies and career goals. The monthly tutorials also include guest speakers from the non-profit, professional, business, and government sectors to discuss career opportunities. Graduate students gain valuable professional development experience by helping to plan and implement the department's Annual Symposium, as well as frequent ethics colloquia and lectures. Finally, students have valuable opportunities to interact with ethicists throughout New York City through its innovative field practicum program. Students observe ethics in action at any of the practicum partner sites, which include local hospitals, non-profit organizations, think tanks, and review boards.

An Independent University in the Jesuit Tradition

Historic Fordham University is an independent university in the Jesuit tradition with its original Rose Hill campus in the Bronx and 3 additional campuses in Manhattan's Lincoln Center, Westchester, NY, and the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, NY. Guided by its Catholic and Jesuit heritage, Fordham University fosters the intellectual, moral, and religious development of students and prepares them for leadership roles in a global society.